Link to bioRxiv paper: http://biorxiv.org/cgi/content/short/2020.08.31.276428v1?rss=1 Authors: Bauer, D., Ishikawa, H., Wemmer, K., Marshall, W. F. Abstract: Stochastic variations (noise) in gene expression have been extensively characterized, but the ramifications of this gene-level variation for cellular structure and function remain unclear. To what extent are cellular structures subject to noise? We show that flagellar length in Chlamydomonas exhibits significant variation that results from a combination of intrinsic fluctuations within the flagella and extrinsic cell to cell variation. We analyzed a series of candidate genes affecting flagella and found that flagellar length variation is increased in mutations which increase the average flagellar length, an effect that can be explained using a theoretical model for flagellar length regulation. Cells with greater differences in their flagellar lengths show impaired swimming but improved gliding motility, raising the possibility that cells have evolved mechanisms to tune intrinsic noise in length. Taken together our results show that biological noise exists at the level of subcellular structures, with a corresponding effect on cell function. Copy rights belong to original authors. Visit the link for more info